Mail-box.



0. M. AARSETH. MAIL BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.5,1904.

PATENTBD MAY15, 1906.

OLE M. AARSETH, OF ECHO, MINNESOTA.

MAIL-BOX- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed August 5, 1904. Serial No. 219.619.

To all 'LUILQ'HL it may cancer/t:

Be it known that I, OLE M. AARSETH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Echo, in the county of Yellow Medicine and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of my invention.

This invention relates to mail-boxes designed especially for use in rural districts, and has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device of this character in which the mail-matter may be 0011- veniently introduced, one wherein the mailreceiving member or leaf serves as a closure for the box, and one wherein the box may be readily and securely locked to prevent unauthorized removal of its contents.

, Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of the type described in which the box will at all times swing toward the road, one wherein the mail-receiving member may be readily released and swung downward to permit removal of the contents of the box, whereby a single opening serves for the introduction and removal of the mail, and one in which a signaling device carried by the hinged pintle may be conveniently manipulated. to indicate whether or not the box contains mail.

l/Vith these and other objects in view the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is V a front perspective view of the mail-box embodying the invention and showing the same in closed position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the box open for the reception of mail. Fi 3 is a vertical section centrally throu h the box with the parts in the position i lustrated in Fig. 2 and showing in dotted lines the mail-receiving member swung downward to permit removal of the contents of the box.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a box composed, preferably, of sheet metal and of rectangular form, as shown, said box being provided near its top and in its front face with an opening 2, at the lower edge of which there is pivoted, by means of hinges 3, a flapdoor 4, having an end piece or strap 5 and adapted to swing in a vertical plane from open to closed position. It may be mentioned in tlns connection that the front, rear,

and top and bottom walls of the box preferably comprise a single length of material bent into shape, while the end walls 6are formed of separate pieces seated in place and having outturned marginal flanges 7, engaged by rivets or other fastening members 8 for securin the end members in place.

Provided on the door 4 adjacent its outer edge is a pair of ears 9, to which are pivoted the outer ends of arms 10, formed on a movable mal-receiving member or leaf 1]., in turn provided with a right-singularly-projecting shelf or ledge 12, preferably formed by striking up from between the arms 10, as seen more clearly in Fig. 2-, there being fixed to the outer face of the ledge 12 a staple or keeper 13, adapted for entrance through the slotted end of a locking element or hasp 14, hinged at its inner end to the door 4 at a point adjacent the center. of the latter. It is to be observed in this connection that the pivotal axes of the leaf 11 and hasp 14 are so disposed relativoly as to insure movement of said parts in different arcs for a purpose which will be herein after explained.

The box 1 is preferably sustained by means of upper and lower horizontal arms or brackets 15 1-6, composed of rod-iron bent into shape to form at the outer terminals of the arms circular bearing portions or collars 17, arranged to embrace and for rotation upon a post or support 18, said collars being fixed against movement longitudinal of the post by means of fastening members or staples 19 and the post being obliquely inclined, as shown, whereby the box will, through gravity, swing automatically to position for facing the road.

The leaves or sections of the hinges 3 are connected by a common pivoting member or pintle 20, terminating at one end in a rightangularly-disposed arm or staff 21, equipped with a flag or other signal 22, which may through rotation of the pintle 20 in the hinges be readily moved to signaling or non signalingposition, as illustrated, respectively,

said door owing to the relative positions of the pivotal axes of the hasp 14 and arms 10, whereby when the door is swung to open po sition, as in F ig. 3, the leaf 11 Will overlie and serve-to close the opening 2, thus preventing unauthorized access being had to the interior of box 1. When, however,- it is desired to remove the contents of the box, the hasp 14 is unlocked and swung downward to the dotted-line position illustrated in Fig. 3, where upon the leaf 11 may also be turned to the position shown by dotted lines in said figure for uncovering the opening 2 and permitting removal of the contents of the box through said opening. It is to be particularly noted in this connection that the leaf 11 is of such length that during swinging movement its free edge will move close to the rear wall of the box, thus preventing access being had to said contents by introducing the end in rear of the leaf, and, further, that the opening 2 serves the twofold function of permitting the depositing of mail into and its removal from the box. It will be understood, of course, that when mail is to be deposited the door 4 is swung downward to the mail-matter placed on the ledge 12 of the receiver, which latter upon proper manipulation of the door 4 swings through the opening 2 into the box for depositing the mail therein. It may be mentioned that in the event of the box being accidentally struck by a passing vehicle it will, owing to the post being disposed at an inclination to the hangers 15 and 16 being pivotally engaged with the post, swing freely out of the path of the vehicle and thereafter be automatically returned to normal position. After mail has been deposited in the box in the manner above described the signal 22 is moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 1 by grasping the staff 21 and rotating the rod or pintle 20 in the hinges 3, it being understood that when the box is emptied the signal will occupy the position shown in Fig. 2.

Having thus fully described my invention,

1. A mail-box provided with an opening, a

pivoted door for normally closing said open-' ing, a mailreceiving member pivoted to and adapted for movement with the door, said member serving as a closure for the opening when the door is in open position, and means for locking the member against movement relative to the door.

2. A mail-box provided with an opening, a hinged door designed for normally closing the same, a mail-receiving leaf pivoted to the door and adapted for movement with the latter to form a closure for the opening when the door is in open position, and means for locking the leaf against movement relative to the door, said leaf when released being adapted for movement to permit access to the box through the opening.

3. A box provided with an'opening, a pivoted door for normally closing said opening, a mail-receiving leaf pivoted to the door constituting a closure for the opening when the door is in open position, said leaf being movable relative to the door to permit access to the box through the opening, a keeper provided on one of the parts to a locking member on the other part for engagement with the keeper to lock the door and leaf against relative movement.

1. A mail-box, an inclined supportingpost, upper and lower brackets attached to the box and having collars journaled on the support, said brackets being relatively of different lengths whereby the box will return automatically to a predetermined position, and means for fixing the collars against movement longitudinally of the support.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OLE M. AARSETH.

WVitnesses F. W. SAMMERFELD, K. M. AARSETH. 

